1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an energy absorbing apparatus and, more particularly, to an energy absorbing safety barrier for motor racing that dissipates energy generated by collision impact and thereby reduces the energy transferred to the automobile and driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increasing popularity of motor racing, including open-wheel, stock car and motorcycling, has also raised an awareness of driver and fan safety. Of paramount concern is the devastating injuries and damage resulting from high impact collisions of vehicle to retaining wall, wherein vehicle speeds of 200 miles per hour are frequently attained. Upon impact, the energy generated by the collision is ineffectively dissipated and is often absorbed by the vehicle and the driver by dramatic changes in vector and velocity, the vector change usually oriented in the direction opposite the impact. Failure to dissipate collision energy results in significant body and engine destruction of the vehicle, and significant bodily injury or even death to driver. Many devices have been developed to combat the various problems that arise in the seconds during a high impact collision, including improvements to retaining walls and improvements to on-board safety equipment.
In the area of on-board safety equipment, items such as the HANS® device (the embodiment of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,638,510 and 6,009,556, each issued to Robert Hubbard) and improved safety belts have reduced the resultant injuries of high collision impact. The HANS® device is believed to reduce the potential for head, neck and chest injuries by reducing the pull on the neck and head upon impact, thus reducing the neck loads that often result in basal skull fractures, a common injury that causes death among motor racing drivers. However, such devices provide only a single solution to a complex problem, with success highly dependent upon proper use and maintenance of the device. Furthermore, on-board improvements provide little protection to on-looking fans.
Numerous solutions have been proposed for reducing the kinetic energy direction to vehicle and driver upon impact with a retaining wall. An exemplary embodiment of such improvements is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,530, issued in the name of Moore, disclosing an energy absorbing system and method, wherein a plurality of steel plates are affixed to the retaining wall at an angle via corresponding hinges, with an absorbing unit positioned between each plate and the wall. Thus, when a vehicle strikes the plates, the energy is dissipated through successive plates as the plates pivot about the hinges, with the absorbing units also dissipating energy.
Another embodiment is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,495, issued in the name of Williams et al., disclosing an impact absorbing barrier comprising a plurality of deformable angled panel members connected to a rigid member, the rigid member affixed against the retaining wall. The deformable material of the panel members and the angled relationship of the panel members to the wall act in conjunction to absorb, dissipate and deflect impact energy so as to decelerate and redirect the impacting object (vehicle).
However, the aforementioned embodiments suffer from several deficiencies. Notably, the manufacture of the Moore invention, specifically the cushion, requires conventional molding techniques, including rotational molding, vacuum forming, blow molding or injection molding, which requires significant expense and time to produce. The cushion is formed from a number of polymeric materials, the casing for the cushion is formed from a linear polyethylene (LLDPE), and the filler is polyethylene or polyester foam. To counteract any degradation to the polymeric materials, a UV stabilizer is incorporated therein. Furthermore, the cushion is affixed via adhesives, hook and loop material or various fasteners. The present invention avoids the use of any molding technique, since the present invention may be manufactured from ordinary welding facilities, thereby reducing the overall cost of production. The present invention does not use polymeric materials, thus the risk of UV degradation is removed. Finally, by not using polymeric materials, unnecessary quantities of adhesives, hook and loop material or fasteners are not consumed. The Williams et al. invention, and others similar thereto, are notable for two differing results: rebounding of the vehicle and sticking of the vehicle, each dependent upon the firmness or softness of the absorbing material within the panels. For instance, if the material is too firm, the energy will be redirected to the vehicle, causing the vehicle to rebound into racing traffic, thereby further exposing the driver and passing drivers to collision danger. Conversely, if the material is too soft, the vehicle may “stick” or be absorbed by the panels, which results in improper dissipation of the energy and may further result in the vehicle continuing up the retaining wall into the air, thus causing the vehicle to twist and turn before returning to the track. The present invention does not use absorbing materials that can result in such rebounding or sticking problems.
Consequently, there exists a continuous need for new ideas and enhancements for existing products in the motor racing industry, especially directed toward improved safety retaining walls that reduce destruction, damage and injury to vehicle, driver and fan.